1Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electric switch in particular used as a turn-signal switch for motor vehicles for indicating a change of direction or a lane change and having a carrier mounted in a switch housing, which carrier is preferably movable from a central position to opposite directions and especially swivellable about an axis of rotation fixed to the housing.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
An electric switch of this kind is for example known from the German laid open publication 3 626 241. In this switch, a middle stationary contact and two lateral ones as well as a movable bridging contact are accommodated in a switch housing, which bridging contact, in its center, is tiltably mounted on the middle stationary contact. In the central position of the carrier, the bridging contact is tilted about an edge of the middle stationary contact and bumps on a lateral stationary contact. The middle stationary contact is then connected in an electrically conductive manner with the lateral stationary contact, so that, e.g. the left-hand turn-signal lamps emit a signal, when the switch is used as a turn-signal switch. It is true that the bridging contact of this electric switch can be changed over rapidly, however, the switching speed can be negatively influenced by slowly moving the switch lever.
From the German laid open publication 3 626 241 as well as from the German patent 3 336 877 a so-called click-action switching device is also known in which the switching speed of the movable contact cannot be influenced via the operating device. A click-action switching device comprises a snap contact bar which is swivellably mounted on one end and bears a catch on the other end. Another catch, movable by a contact piece, rests against the catch of the snap contact bar. In the longitudinal direction of the snap contact bar at least one of the catches is displaceable against a spring and at least one of the catches has a wedge profile which faces the other catch. When the contact piece is operated, one catch glides along a side of the wedge profile of the other catch, whereby the spring acting upon one catch is increasingly tensioned. When the tip of the wedge profile has been passed, the first catch glides along on the other side of the wedge profile, whereby the spring is released and changes over the snap contact bar abruptly. Because it is not possible to hold one catch at the tip of the wedge profile of the other catch, the changeover speed of the snap contact bar cannot be affected by the moving speed of the contact piece.